Match Info	Opponent Info
UT Tyler vs. Arkansas Tech UTT: 1-0, 0-0 LSC | ATU: 0-2, 0-0 GAC Thursday, Nov. 17th | 7:00 P.M. Russellville, Ark. | Tucker Coliseum		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
UT Tyler at Northeastern State UTT: 1-0, 0-0 LSC | NSU: 0-0, 0-0 MIAA Saturday, Nov. 19th | 4:00 P.M. Talequah, Okla. | NSU Event Center		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS

STARTING OFF 1-0

Senior Rashun Williams dropped 35 points in his UT Tyler debut to lead the Patriots to an 86-73 win over Louisiana Christian on Monday night inside the Herrington Patriot Center. Williams went 13-for-19 from the field to post the second-highest individual scoring total for the program in the Division II era, bettered only by Micah Fuller's 36 point effort back on Jan. 23^rd, 2021 against UT Permian Basin. UT Tyler shot 56.1 percent (32-for-57) from the field for the game, and maintained a double-digit advantage for the final 13:40 of game action. Senior Milan Szabo got his 2022-23 campaign off to a solid start with a double-double, connecting on 7-of-8 from the field and grabbing 10 rebounds. Graduate student Mohamed Diallo impressed in his Patriot debut alongside Williams, hauling in a team-high 11 rebounds to go along with eight points. Williams and Diallo led a host of new Patriot faces that found their rhythm in the second half of action, building a lead of 17 points on two different occasions in the final 10 minutes of action. The Patriots will now shift their attention to a pair of non-conference road games on Thursday and Saturday against Arkansas Tech and Northeastern State in what will be their final preparation for the start of Lone Star Conference play at home on Nov. 30th.

WHAT COACH WILSON IS SAYING

On the outlook of the 2022-23 season that will feature a host of new faces in the program... "It's quite a chore, obviously, to bring in so many new pieces into a situation and try and get it functioning the way you would hope a college basketball team would function. We have alot of work in front of us, and there's not a ton of time before we're in the mix playing meaningful basketball games."

On what he will be looking for from his team over the weekend... "Just alot of organizational things that you want to make sure initially that you get those things right, because before you can win, you have to not lose. So I'll be looking for alot of things that are very "coach speak". Effort. Teamwork. Intelligence. Trying to do things the right way."

SCOUTING THE WONDERBOYS

Arkansas Tech of the Great American Conference will enter Thursday evening's game having dropped two straight to open 2022-23. The Wonderboys lost to Emporia State and Fort Hays State over their opening weekend of play in Weatherford, Okla. and went 10-18 in 2021-22. Andre Leavell (13.5 ppg) and Wes Harris (10.0 ppg) are the two scorers from Arkansas Tech averaging in double-figures through two contests, while the team averages just 53.0 points per game. Thursday's meeting will be the first all-time between the two programs.

SCOUTING THE RIVERHAWKS

Northeastern State of the MIAA will step onto the court for the first time in 2022-23 on Wednesday evening against Bacone College prior to Saturday's battle with the Patriots. The Riverhawks went 16-14 in 2021-22 and were selected to finish sixth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. Saturday's game will also be the first time UT Tyler has competed against Northeastern State in men's basketball.

ANNOUNCING YOURSELF WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT

It was no secret that the UT Tyler men's basketball roster would look vastly different in 2022-23, and Monday night's performance showcased what will be a deep and talented rotation of players for the Patriots. The abundance of new and unfamiliarity with each other was clear in the first 10 minutes of the win over Louisiana Christian, but once the rhythm began for the new-look Patriots the potential of this year's squad was clear. Williams showcased an elite level skill-set with his 35 points, but the scoring options for UT Tyler will run much deeper as the season develops. Seniors Mohammed Diallo and Milan Szabo will create a difficult trio alongside Williams to defend in the paint for opposing teams, while names such as Terrell Wilson, Jordan Hairston and Myja White all showed flashes of explosive play-making ability from the guard spot. It will take time for coach Wilson and his staff to evaluate what rotation and formula will suit the team best, but Monday showed that all the pieces are there for the Patriots to continue their ascent in the Lone Star Conference.

SELECTED NO. 9 IN LSC PRESEASON POLL

The University of Texas at Tyler men's basketball program has been selected ninth in the 2022 Lone Star Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Poll as announced by the conference office. The preseason poll reflects the opinions of LSC head coaches, sports information directors and various media representatives throughout the region. The Patriots received 314 total votes to appear in the no. 9 spot of the preseason poll. West Texas A&M earned 36 of the 39 available first-place votes and 619 total votes to come in as the clear preseason favorite. DBU appeared as the no. 2 ranked team in the preseason poll with 560 votes, while Lubbock Christian received a pair of first-place votes and 489 total votes to come in at no. 3. Midwestern State (no. 4), St. Edward's (no. 5), Texas A&M-Kingsville (no. 6), St. Mary's (no. 7) and Angelo State (no. 8) rounded out the top eight ahead of UT Tyler in the no. 9 spot.
 

2022-23 LSC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
Rank	School	1st	Total
1	West Texas A&M	36	619
2	DBU		560
3	Lubbock Christian	2	489
4	Midwestern State		460
5	St. Edward's		428
6	Texas A&M-Kingsville		399
7	St. Mary's		380
8	Angelo State		364
9	UT Tyler		314
10	UT Permian Basin	1	310
11	UAFS		293
12	Texas A&M International		246
13	Western New Mexico		145
14	Oklahoma Christian		134
15	Eastern New Mexico		95
16	Cameron		68

SZABO IS ONE TO WATCH

Senior Milan Szabo of UT Tyler men's basketball was named a Preseason Player to Watch by the Lone Star Conference. Szabo was one of 14 players included on the list that includes student-athletes designated for the recognition by their member institution. Szabo was named the 2021-22 Lone Star Conference All-Academic Team for his combined efforts on the court and in the classroom and will return to the floor for the 2022-23 season as one of just four returners to the roster. The Levice, Slovakia native appeared in all 26 games in 2021-22 and made 25 starts while leading the Patriots with an average of 5.6 rebounds per contest. Szabo chipped in an average of 7.5 points per game and posted a double-digit scoring effort in eight contests throughout the season.

COACH WILSON

Head coach Louis Wilson will began his fourth season on Monday night at the helm of the UT Tyler men's basketball program in 2022-23, and eighth season overall as a head coach at the Division II level. The 2022-23 season will mark the 31st year of collegiate basketball coaching experience for Wilson, as he accumulated 23 years of experience at the Division I level as an associate or assistant head coach prior to his time in Tyler. He spent five years as head coach at Division II foe Adams State of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) from 2010-15, totaling a 95-46 record as head coach of the Grizzlies, and led the program to three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division II National Tournament from 2010-13. Coach Wilson enters Monday night with a record of 37-39 in his three years as head coach of the Patriots.